Sep. 25—It’s not one of Scottsdale’s exclusive golf allures, such as nationally-ranked courses TPC Scottsdale, Troon North and Grayhawk Golf Club.
Even so, according to Golf Now, “Starfire Golf Club in north central Scottsdale is one of the most popular, user-friendly, and affordable golf facilities in the Valley of the Sun.”
It’s not just popular, it’s valuable: Starfire just sold for a whopping $24 million.
The new owners hardly need an introduction.
Unlike national conglomerates that swoop in to buy up Scottsdale courses, the Swing First Golf team of David Ashton and Jeff Lundgren know the lay of the land by heart.
As a 2004 East Valley Tribune story noted about the purchase of the Golf Club at Johnson Ranch in Queen Creek, the two didn’t just “talk the talk” about owning a golf course in their teen years.
“Dave Ashton and Jeff Lundgren are actually going to ‘walk the walk,’ which dates back to their days at Chaparral High School in Scottsdale as well as later on at BYU.”
In a bit of a twist, they bought the Queen Creek course from a Scottsdale company — Sunbelt Holdings.
They paid a then-hearty $2.55 million.
Two decades later, Swing First Golf took a 10 times bigger swing, with $18.6 million cash down on the $24 million purchase from Starpointe Communities.
According to the company’s Linked In profile, “Swing First Golf Management LLC has provided Golf Course and Country Club Management for over 20 years.”
Starfire Golf Course at Hayden Road and Shea Boulevard was built in 1982.
While it may not be a workout site for the PGA’s best, Starfire is an unusual duffers’ paradise.
Starfire is anchored by an 18-hole course dubbed The King, featuring “plush greens” and “strategically placed bunkers and water hazards.”
The par 70 course has holes ranging between 80 and 504 yards, with an average play time of four-plus hours.
For those who don’t have the skill or time to challenge The King, Starfire offers The Mulligan 9.
“Kids, pros and casual enthusiasts alike can enjoy this versatile par-28 course,” Starfire’s website notes.
Short but with some challenges, The Mulligan has eight par 3 holes and one par 4.
Average play time on the short course is about an hour and a half.
Information: starfiregolfclub.com.
